In a statement issued this afternoon, Devamany described the text message as a “malicious lie”.

The deputy minister said that he was among the first to oppose the book as it contained disparaging and inaccurate information about the Indian community.

“There is absolutely no truth to the allegation and the rumours that have been spread by certain irresponsible people.

“I have repeatedly reiterated the Indian community’s stand that the novel must not be used as a literature text,” he said.

Devamany said that he had penned a letter to the director-general of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka on Dec 14 last year, stating his opposition to the book.

In the letter, the deputy minister had argued that the book would not help promote racial unity and contradicted Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.

Copies of the letter were also sent to Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and MIC president G Palanivel.

MIC was among several Indian organisations which registered its protest against the book, authored by national laureate Abdullah Hussain.

Muhyiddin later announced that the book would be retained but a special panel would look into amending the offensive portions.

While MIC’s protest went silent after this, certain groups such as Hindraf Makkal Sakti, continue to push for the complete withdrawal of Interlok.

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